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Toxic Custard newsletter Video games

Back to the arcades?

Every so often I’ll splash out on a new toy for myself. Last year it was a new camera. The year before was a hifi. The year before (just over two years ago in fact) that was an iPad Mini. Those paying attention will know that I had considered adding a multi-room music setup to  ... [More]

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Consumerism Toxic Custard newsletter

Charity and money

Years ago I decided I wanted to donate at least 0.7% of my income towards charity. Over the weekend I was doing my tax, and calculated it: for 2015-16 it’s 1.32%. Cool. About half the annual total is Oxfam. Other regulars include Greenpeace, The Salvos (though I mean to check their latest position on homosexuality,  ... [More]

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News and events

What can council elections teach us about aspect ratio?

One of the things you start noticing a lot more when you have two tertiary-level film and television students in the house is aspect ratio. Local council elections are in October, and posters have started going up for candidates. In some wards you see full-sized billboards, but in ours — so far — the most  ... [More]

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transport

Is Australia in danger of being swamped by 24-hour time?

24-hour time is common in Europe, and in the airline industry, and the military. Internally, many industries use 24-hour time, but publicly 12-hour time is dominant in Australia. I have seen 24-hour time used at cafes. Perhaps they were run by Europeans; perhaps it was an attempt to seem more European. V/Line uses 24-hour time  ... [More]

Categories
transport

You can judge a station by its cover

Yesterday’s horrific accident at Surrey Hills is a reminder of the many benefits of level crossing removal (though that one is not on the list). With our local crossing at Bentleigh gone, it’s rather wonderful that the angst of further accidents is gone, and crowds no longer get stuck at the railway gates every second  ... [More]

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Photos from ten years ago Toxic Custard newsletter

Old photos from September 2006

Another in my series of ten year old photos… September 2006. Most of my photos this month were snapped with my phone camera of the time, the Nokia 6230i. Not bad for 2006, but a bit grainy by today’s standards. Richmond station, before we got the all-over platform cover. Other than that in some ways  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Roller coaster rail?

On Tuesday the Level Crossing Removal Authority put out a whole raft of information on options for removal of crossings on the southern end of the Frankston line. If you have any interest at all, particularly if you’re a local, they’re definitely worth a look. The Opposition’s withering response: “The controversial ‘Sky Rail’ monstrosity on  ... [More]

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Bentleigh Politics and activism Toxic Custard newsletter

Bentleigh Uniting Church takes a stand

Many around Australia would know of the Gosford Anglican Church, thanks to Father Rod Bower and his famous signs. A couple of weeks ago this sign appeared at the Bentleigh Uniting Church. It now seems to have disappeared in favour their more usual list of events. It pleases me to see messages like this. Immigration,  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Toxic Custard newsletter

New umbrella (again)

Excuse the radio silence. I’ve had a really bad cold this week. In our last exciting installment of my quest for a durable, reliable, compact umbrella, I was on my third Senz Mini. The first had been replaced under warranty, the second lost, and the third… sadly, it has started to fail me. As did  ... [More]